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Kirby and the Forgotten Land

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Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and The Forgotten Land Icon
Pre-release game icon
Developer(s)HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)
Producer(s)
  • Tadashi Kamitake
  • Toyokazu Nonaka
  • Akira Kinashi
Designer(s)Yuki Endo
Programmer(s)
  • Yudai Hirata
  • Hiroaki Nakano
Artist(s)Riki Fuhrmann
Composer(s)
  • Yuuta Ogasawara
  • Hirokazu Ando
  • Jun Ishikawa
  • Yuki Shimooka
SeriesKirby
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch
ReleaseMarch 25, 2022
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Kirby and the Forgotten Land[lower-alpha 1] is a 2022 platform video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the seventeenth mainline installment in the Kirby series, as well as the first game in the series in full 3D, excluding spin-offs. The player controls Kirby in an adventure through the titular forgotten land, called the New World, to rescue Waddle Dees kidnapped by the ferocious Beast Pack. To complete each stage to save the Waddle Dees, Kirby can use a wide range of copy abilities to help battle enemies and progress. The game was developed for the 30th anniversary of the Kirby series. The game was well-received by critics, with some calling it one of the best games in the series.

Gameplay[]

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first platform game in the series with full 3D gameplay, where the player must guide Kirby through various different stages to save the Waddle Dees at the end. As in most Kirby games, Kirby can jump and slide as well as inhale enemies and objects which he can either spit out like projectiles or swallow to gain a copy ability.[1][2] Alongside with the returning copy abilities, this game introduced two new copy abilities in the form of Drill and Ranger,[3][4] as well as an upgrade system for copy abilities and a new "Mouthful Mode" where Kirby can swallow and control larger objects, such as cars and vending machines.[5] Similar to Kirby Battle Royale and Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, a second player can join in and play as Bandana Waddle Dee, who uses a spear as his main form of attack.[6]

The goal of each stage is to rescue the Waddle Dees at the end of the level. Once rescued, they are returned to Waddle Dee Town, the main hub of the game.[7] As the player rescues more Waddle Dees, the town size increases as well as unlocks minigames that the player can compete with others online for the top score.[8][9] The game also supports amiibo functionality.[10][11]

Plot[]

One day on Planet Popstar, a dark vortex appears over Dream Land, sucking up everything in its path into a post-apocalyptic civilization called the New World. Kirby is among those sucked into the vortex and also finds himself in the New World; he discovers that the Waddle Dees from Dream Land are being kidnapped by the native animal-like Beast Pack and eventually finds the destroyed Waddle Dee Town. A chinchilla-like creature called Elfilin, who helped the Waddle Dees settle in the New World, is cornered by the Beast Pack and saved by Kirby. Elfilin explains to Kirby that he and the Waddle Dees attempted to fight back, but were overwhelmed and that he must save them. Kirby offers to help Elfilin and the two set off to rescue the Waddle Dees.

Kirby and Elfilin make their way through the New World, saving Waddle Dees and defeating the members of the Beast Pack. Eventually, the two confront Kirby's longtime frenemy King Dedede, who, for some reason, is helping the Beast Pack; after being defeated, Dedede captures Elfilin and escapes, with Kirby in pursuit. Deep within the Beast Pack's lair, Kirby defeats Dedede again, who is revealed to be possessed; a freed Dedede stays behind to hold off the Beast Pack while Kirby ascends to the Beast Pack's center of operations, Lab Discovera. The lab, which once doubled as a tourist attraction, explains via pre-recorded narration that a powerful extradimensional being named Fecto Forgo (also referred to as specimen ID-F86) tried to invade the New World, but was stopped by its inhabitants and placed in the lab where its ability to create space-time rifts was researched. Thirty years after research began, a piece of this being broke apart and escaped, that piece being Elfilin. In the aftermath, Fecto Forgo was placed in permanent suspended animation within Lab Discovera's Eternal Capsule.

Kirby then meets the leader of the Beast Pack: a lion named Leongar, who explains that the New World was once inhabited by a powerful race before they used Fecto Forgo's mysterious power to leave for other dimensions. Leongar has been researching ways to use Fecto Forgo's power for himself to reach the "land of dreams". Kirby defeats Leongar and rescues Elfilin, but Fecto Forgo awakens and explains (using Leongar as a puppet) that they possessed the Beast Pack and kidnapped the Waddle Dees for labor; their primary goal is to fuse with Elfilin so that they can become whole again. Fecto Forgo breaks free from the Eternal Capsule, becoming an amorphous mass of gelatinous material, and then absorbs Leongar and other Beast Pack members to transform into a chimera-like monster. Kirby defeats Fecto Forgo, but they absorb Elfilin into their complete form, Fecto Elfilis.

Kirby manages to weaken Fecto Elfilis enough to free Elfilin, but Fecto Elfilis, now reverting back to their Forgo form, creates a large portal back to Popstar, planning to crash the two planets into each other. As Popstar and the New World approach the Roche limit, Kirby narrowly defeats Fecto Elfilis by ramming a semi-trailer truck into them and makes his way back to Popstar, where the rift remains open. Using all his power, Elfilin seals the rift between the two worlds, with himself on the other side. In the credits, however, it is revealed that Elfilin is able to travel to Planet Popstar, and the inhabitants of the New World have become friends with Popstar's inhabitants.

In a postgame campaign, Leongar's soul is trapped in an alternate dimension, Forgo Dreams, created by Fecto Forgo's lingering soul. Kirby and Elfilin travel to this dimension and rescue Leongar, who is possessed by Soul Forgo. After defeating the possessed Leongar, Soul Forgo reveals themselves, but before they can attack Kirby, a mysterious orange-and-red butterfly appears. The butterfly lands on Soul Forgo, absorbs their soul, and transforms into Morpho Knight, a valkyrie-like warrior who delivers souls to the afterlife. Once Morpho Knight is defeated, Leongar's soul is properly restored. A final optional boss, Chaos Elfilis, shows that Fecto Forgo survived this event as well, and absorbed Morpho Knight's power to become even stronger. Kirby defeats this final threat, and a lingering remnant of their soul approaches Elfilin; he accepts it into his heart, allowing his two halves to finally become one.

Development[]

The game was produced as a part of Kirby's 30th anniversary.[12] HAL Laboratory had begun teasing a new Kirby game since 2020 in preparation for the anniversary.[13][14] General director Shinya Kumazaki described it as the "new phase" for the series and that it will "culminate the best aspects of Kirby".[15] Game director Tatsuya Kamiyama explained how the team focused on making the game approachable even with change of perspective to 3D, while at the same time making it satisfying to play to the player. The 3D transition was described as very challenging, with Kamiyama being the one who made the pitch for a 3D game — which HAL struggled with for years, resulting in many cancelled projects — while also presenting solutions on how to make the transition to 3D, including character design, gameplay and many other aspects, finally allowing for development to begin on a 3D title after several failed attempts since the 2000s.[16][17]

A month before the September 2021 Nintendo Direct, the official Kirby website updated with placeholder text, further implying there was a new game coming soon.[18] The game was first officially revealed in the Nintendo Direct on September 23, 2021, having been prematurely shown off on the Nintendo website six hours beforehand.[19][20][21] A second, more in-depth trailer was shown on January 12, 2022, which announced more features of the game as well as the release date of March 25, 2022.[22][23] A free-to-play demo was made available on March 3, 2022.[24]

Reception[]

Kirby and the Forgotten Land received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[25] Critics hailed it as one of the best Kirby games ever made.[n 1]

Several reviewers gave high praise to the exploration-based level design, citing the optional challenges, collectibles, and Treasure Road as elements that gave each level a substantial feel. The upgradable copy abilities and Mouthful Mode were also heavily praised for the gameplay variety they provided while remaining a part of the game's core design, making the combat and platforming consistently interesting as a result. Boss fights were also lauded for requiring the utilization of copy abilities, with several praising the increased difficulty of Forgotten Land in comparison to previous entries in the franchise. The game's visuals and level themes were similarly commended, with the post-apocalyptic aesthetic of the game being cited as creative. Local co-op was praised for being fun and seamless while accommodating younger players. The Waddle Dee Town hub was praised for encouraging player exploration and was deemed a substantially rewarding experience.[n 2]

Minor criticism was directed towards the sluggish movement, limited vertical movement,[28] grounded environments,[31] and the stale nature of recurring mini-bosses.[30][32]

Sales[]

Kirby and the Forgotten Land launched at #1 in the UK, becoming both the series' first chart-topping debut and fifth best-selling Kirby game in the region.[35] The game also launched at #1 in Japan with the series' best physical debut, at 380,060 copies sold in two days.[36]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ Japanese: 星のカービィ　ディスカバリー, Hepburn: Hoshi no Kābī Disukabarī, lit. "Kirby of the Stars: Discovery"

References[]

  1. ↑ Scullion, Chris (September 23, 2021). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a 3D open-world Kirby game". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  2. ↑ DeWitte, Joel A. (September 23, 2021). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land Launching Spring 2022". NintendoWorldReport. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  3. ↑ Winslow, Jeremy (January 12, 2022). "Kirby And The Forgotten Land Trailer Shows Off New Abilities, Co-op Play". Kotaku. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  4. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (January 12, 2022). "Kirby And The Forgotten Land Release Date, New Trailer Revealed". GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  5. ↑ Machkovech, Sam (February 9, 2022). "Nintendo Direct headlined by Mario Kart 8’s 48 new upcoming racetracks" (in en-us). Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/02/massive-mario-kart-8-dlc-pack-headlines-latest-nintendo-direct-presentation/. 
  6. ↑ Purslow, Matt (January 12, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land's New Trailer Reveals New Features and a March Release Date". IGN. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  7. ↑ Wald, Heather (January 13, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Everything we know so far about Kirby's upcoming adventure". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  8. ↑ Parrish, Ash (January 12, 2022). "Kirby's post-apocalyptic Switch adventure is coming in March". The Verge. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  9. ↑ Bellingham, Hope (October 12, 2021). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land online mode potentially leaked by ratings board". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  10. ↑ Bellington, Hope (January 13, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land appears to have amiibo support". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  11. ↑ Carter, Chris (January 13, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land supports amiibo, but there's no details yet". Destructoid. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  12. ↑ Whitehead, Thomas (January 12, 2022). "Nintendo Releases An Awesome Wallpaper To Celebrate Kirby's 30th Anniversary". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  13. ↑ Doolan, Doolan (December 29, 2020). "Kirby Developer HAL Laboratory Teases New Projects For 2021". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  14. ↑ Dino, Oni (December 28, 2020). "HAL Laboratory Teases New Kirby Merch and Original Games in 2021". Siliconera. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  15. ↑ Doolan, Liam (May 15, 2021). "HAL Laboratory Looking Forward To Sharing Kirby's "Next Phase" With Fans". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  16. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ↑ Skrebels, Joe (September 24, 2021). "Nintendo's Official Kirby Website Is Hilariously Messed Up Right Now". IGN. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  19. ↑ Gray, Kate (September 24, 2021). "Nintendo Officially Reveals Kirby And The Forgotten Land". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  20. ↑ Romano, Sal (September 23, 2021). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land announced for Switch". Gematsu. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  21. ↑ Marshall, Cass (September 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land announced for Nintendo Switch". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  22. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (January 12, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land release date set for March". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  23. ↑ Scullion, Chris (January 12, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land gets a March release date and a new trailer". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  24. ↑ Bailey, Kat (March 3, 2022). "Kirby And the Forgotten Land Demo Available Now For Nintendo Switch". IGN. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Kirby and the Forgotten Land for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Carter, Chris (March 23, 2022). "Review: Kirby and the Forgotten Land". Destructoid. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Robinson, Martin (March 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land review - a mouthful of magic". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Carson, John (March 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land Review - Stretching Into A New Dimension". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Petite, Steve (March 23, 2022). "Kirby And The Forgotten Land Review - The Best Kirby Yet". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Wald, Heather (March 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land review: "A delight from start to finish"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Marks, Tom (March 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land Review". IGN. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 O'Reilly, PJ (March 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land Review (Switch)". NintendoLife. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Shaver, Morgan (March 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land review: Mouthful of deliciousness". Shacknews. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Orry, Tom (March 23, 2022). "Kirby and the Forgotten Land review - Almost a complete mouthful". VG247. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022. {{cite web}}:
  35. ↑ "Kirby and The Forgotten Land is the biggest Kirby launch in UK history | UK Boxed Charts". GamesIndustry.biz. {{cite web}}:
  36. ↑ Life, Nintendo (March 31, 2022). "Japanese Charts: Kirby And The Forgotten Land Absorbs More Big Sales". Nintendo Life. {{cite web}}:

External links[]

Kirby series
Nintendo • HAL Laboratory
Games Main series Kirby's Dream Land • Adventure (Nightmare in Dream Land) • Dream Land 2 • Super Star (Ultra) • Dream Land 3 • 64: The Crystal Shards • The Amazing Mirror • Squeak Squad • Return to Dream Land (Return to Dream Land Deluxe) • Triple Deluxe • Planet Robobot • ‎Star Allies • The Forgotten Land
Spin-offs Pinball Land • Dream Course • Avalanche • Block Ball • Star Stacker • Tilt 'n' Tumble • Air Ride • Canvas Curse • Epic Yarn (Extra Epic Yarn) • Mass Attack • Rainbow Curse • Blowout Blast • Battle Royale • Super Kirby Clash • Fighters 2 • Dream Buffet
Collections Dream Collection
Characters Kirby • King Dedede • Meta Knight
Media Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (Episodes) • Kirby of the Stars
People Masahiro Sakurai • Makiko Ohmoto • Satoru Iwata • Shigeru Miyamoto • Shinya Kumazaki • John Kirby • Jun Ishikawa
People Super Smash Bros. • NES Remix • Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition • Kirby Café
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